High-quality Testing and Assessment
Performance assessments play a central role in university teaching as they provide students with feedback on their performance. Successful examination results enable students to progress in their studies and successfully complete their degree programme. Ideally, competency-based examinations should determine the extent to which students have actually achieved the intended study objectives. In order to design high-quality examinations, it makes sense for teachers to familiarise themselves with the framework conditions, implementation and recommendations.
Legal framework
Performance assessment is largely regulated in the Universities Act 2002 (UG) in § 59 and in the 4th section "Examinations" in §§ 72 to 79. Sections 80 to 86 deal with the requirements, tasks and assessment of bachelor's, diploma and master's theses as well as dissertations. The UG contains basic regulations, some of which are specified or further detailed in the statutes of the University of Innsbruck.
The section of the statutes entitled "Study law provisions" deals with the requirements set out in the Universities Act, specifies the university and makes regulations on various topics such as examination types and methods, registration for and deregistration from examinations, etc.
The "Standards and guidelines for quality assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG)" were adopted in 2005 by the ministers responsible for higher education. The document contains standards and guidelines for internal and external quality assurance. In 2012, it was decided to adapt the ESG to the changing framework conditions. The revised version was adopted in Yerevan in May 2015. A central point, both in the old and in the revised version of the ESG, is the area of audits.
Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area: Information here
Realisation & procedure
When conducting examinations, aspects such as examination registration, examination dates and resits, the conduct of examinations and, of course, cancellation or withdrawal from examinations must be taken into account.
There you will find many documents, tips and instructions to help you offer your teaching online. You will also find support for testing and assessment in a digital setting.
On the page of the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students you will find information on the area of university didactics.
Recommendations for written examinations
For written examinations, the following recommendations can be made to ensure the quality of a written examination[1]:
- There are clear, written guidelines for the respective examination that enable targeted learning (exam sheets and similar)
- The examination is in line with the teaching and the specifications.
- The chosen form of processing the individual tasks is suitable for determining the acquired knowledge of the competence to be tested.
- It is possible to determine whether the task is a reproduction or a transfer task
- The construction rules of the tasks are adhered to.
- The task description takes into account whether it is an "open book" or "closed book" examination.
- Any authorised use of aids (e.g. calculator, dictionary, legal text) is appropriate with regard to the task.
- The task is unambiguous, error-free and complete
- An assessment scheme has been drawn up for each task prior to the examination.
- The examination tasks do not contain any special terms that are not relevant to the examination and cannot be understood by foreign speakers.
- The examination tasks are appropriately spread across the various topics and subject areas (good sample of the entire examination material)
- There is an appropriate number of examination tasks in order to limit thematic randomness in the examination result in terms of the number of tasks.
- The examination is organised (firstly) according to the form in which the tasks are completed and (secondly) within the same form of completion according to subject or subject area.
- All tasks must be completed. There are no options to choose from.
- The examination begins with simple tasks and increases in difficulty as it progresses.
- There are approximately equal numbers of reproduction and transfer tasks at different levels of difficulty.
- As a rule, there are no subsequent tasks that depend on the previous task.
- Unless arithmetical skills are required, complicated numbers are avoided and simple numbers are used.
- The time available for the examination is appropriate.
- The exam contains a cover sheet with formal information about the exam: Desired presentation of solutions, overview of achievable points per part of the exam, estimated time for each part of the exam, etc.
- The achievable number of points (but no time) is given for each task.
- A sample solution and an assessment scheme for the entire exam are available before the start of the exam and can be viewed after the exam.
- The grading key is created after the examination has been corrected and can be viewed after the final decision has been made.
[1] Dubs, Rolf (n.d.): Coordinated examination procedures and valid results - a matter of course? University of St. Gallen
Recommendations for oral examinations
Standards should also be observed in oral examinations to ensure a fair examination:[1]
- The oral examination covers three different topics or subject areas.
- If the knowledge and skills in one topic or subject area are clearly insufficient, the examiner changes the topic (with an appropriate deduction in the mark).
- The examination for each topic or subject area begins with a problem (case study, document) and not with a knowledge test.
- The examiner does not allow eloquent students to lead them away from their topic or subject area.
- They do not set tasks as in written examinations, but orientate the examination content towards areas and competences that are important for oral communication in the subject area.
- In the oral examination, a time frame is set for each topic or subject area. The level of difficulty (knowledge, application, analysis, judgement, synthesis) is incorporated into the examination procedure and assessment.
- She asks clear questions (close/wide and closed/open questions).
- She speaks little herself, but is an active listener.
- Through her questions, she ensures that the dialogue is as fluid and natural as possible.
- She asks questions when things are unclear, insists on the line of questioning, but the dialogue remains flexible.
- She always remains fair.
- She clearly states the correctness and incorrectness of answers.
- She examines and does not conduct a question-and-answer dialogue.
- She concentrates on the person being tested and is not preoccupied with herself.
- She endeavours to create a calming atmosphere
- They are aware of their own idiosyncrasies, which can lead to distorted judgements.
- The examiner has a system to objectify the assessment.
[1] Dubs, Rolf (n.d.): Coordinated examination procedures and valid results - a matter of course? University of St. Gallen